Just Dinner
by Willow21
Summary: JoshDonna campaign banter, but who knws where it could lead.


**Just Dinner by Willow  
**Summary: Donna and Josh campaign banter.  
Spoilers/Episode: Anything up to season 6, 2162 Votes.  
Characters Donna, Josh, Matt, Helen, Rhonna

* * *

**10th August 2005**

"You've got this worked out pretty well," Donna said as she flicked through the itineraries.

"I have," Josh agreed, "And I did it all on my own."

"No help?"

"I am a very capable man, Donnatella," he grinned.

"If you say so," Donna smiled. "What did you get your mom for her birthday?"

"Birthday?"

"Yes, Joshua, the anniversary of her birth. It's tomorrow."

"Yes, yes, it is, tomorrow, okay."

"You forgot."

"No, I'm choosing her gift."

"It's tomorrow," Donna repeated. "I can't believe you've not sent her anything yet, not even a card?"

"Okay, you feel free to stand there and admonish me a few more times. I need to use the internet."

"You can use the internet?" Donna's tone was doubtful.

"I can, or at least I can use it to order flowers from you do it properly though?"

"Why Donnatella, I've never had any complaints," Josh grinned. "Oww!" he squealed as Donna smacked him across the head. "Now I wish I hadn't found this site back in April. Were they nice?" he asked.

"Yes they were," Donna replied. "And the delivery boy was cute," she teased. She'd been shocked when a bouquet arrived at her desk in April, with a note saying, 'Happy non-anniversary, you know I do it just to snark you. JL'.

"Glad I could brighten up your day," Josh smiled. "Now help me choose some flowers and a card for my mom."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--x-x-x

"You forgot your mother's birthday?" Matt asked Josh. "That isn't good, Josh."

"How did you...?"

"Donna told Leo, he told me," Matt smiled. "No secrets on this campaign."

"Apparently."

"Have you sorted it, or do you need to dash to Florida?" Matt smiled.

"I sorted it."

"Good, 'cos there are a lot of swing voters in Florida and we don't want your mom adding to the list."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Donna!" Josh shouted as he walked through the office. "A word."

"You know I don't actually work for you anymore," Donna told him.

"Did you have to tell everyone that I forgot my mom's birthday?"

"Yes I did," Donna smiled. "It's a nice story, makes you seem more human to the staff."

"Do I need to appear more human to the staff?"

"As a matter of fact you do. Don't you want them to like you?"

"Been working with most of them for eight months, if they still don't like me," Josh shrugged.

"Surprisingly, the old staff do seem to mostly like you, it's the new ones who are a little... unsure."

"Okay. I don't care what they think of me. My point is, you told Leo and he will definitely tell my mom. That is if you haven't already told her."

Donna just smiled and carried on eating her lunch. She'd been back working with Josh for almost two months now and things were getting better everyday. The banter was back and they were relaxed around each other again.

"You told her?" Josh guessed.

"Oh get over it and move on."

"Okay." Josh sat down and stole the other half of Donna's sandwich.

As they sat eating their shared lunch, Donna decided now was the time to ask her question, maybe. "What are you doing tomorrow evening?" she asked.

"We should be back from the thing by five, then we have three TV interviews at seven."

"All three are at seven?" Donna asked.

"Yes, it was good planning on Ned's part," Josh agreed. "Should be done by nine. What about you?"

"I should be done by nine as well. You want to go and grab something to eat when you get back?"

"Yeah, sounds good. Nine it is then."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

**Next Day, Santos Campaign Bus**

"Do you have a date or something?" Matt asked Josh.

"Why would you think that?"

"Cos you're in an awful hurry to get back today. Normally I'm the one rushing you along."

"So this makes a nice change then," Josh said as he read through the memo Bram had just handed him.

"It does, but it's weird. I'm not sure who you are."

"Yeah," Josh absently replied. "Bram, what the hell does this mean?" He stood up and walked down away down the bus.

"No," Matt smiled. "Now I recognize you."

"Talking to yourself?" Helen asked,

"I was talking to Josh, but he walked away."

"You have that effect on me all the time," she smiled. "We're actually early."

"We're an hour late," Matt replied.

"Yes, but usually we're three hours late, so we're early."

"What kind of logic is that?"

Helen ignored him. "Does Josh have a date?" she asked

"I don't know."

"When's Leo back?"

"Should be there when we get back," Matt replied.

"He does have a date," Helen smiled.

"With Leo?"

"Don't be an... with Donna."

"Ah, right," Matt nodded. "You think?" he asked.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

**Campaign HQ 8.00pm**

"I don't have time for this," Donna muttered as she tried to find someone to sort out the latest problem.

"Sorry?" Rhonna asked.

"I really wanted to be out of here by now."

"Date?"

"No, no, just dinner," Donna replied.

"But not a date?"

"No."

"Who with?"

"It's not a date."

"Josh?" Rhonna guessed.

"Yeah. Table's booked for 9, but it's just two friends having dinner."

"Okay, well you go and get ready for your non-date and I'll finish up here."

"You sure?"

"He'll be back in half an hour or so, go and get ready."

"Thank you," Donna smiled as she collected her purse.

"Not a problem, but tomorrow I want to know all, well most, of the details."

TBC...


End file.
